Marine craft (i.e., boats) are available in various styles and sizes and normally include many features for the comfort and convenience of the operators and passengers. Such boats also typically include beverage holders (i.e., round cup-shaped receivers) which are slidably received in appropriately shaped openings in the hull or other permanent structure of the boat.
However, such boats do not include fishing rod holders. Although it is possible to drill holes or openings into the hull or other permanent structure to mount a fishing rod holder, this requires permanent alteration or modification of the boat structure, which is undesirable. For example, the alteration or modification could result in damage to the structure or weakening of the structure. It also requires the use of additional hardware.
Various types of fishing rod holders and fishing rod modifications have been previously proposed. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,527,463; 2,680,923; 2,902,789; 2,946,546; 2,981,509; 3,121,290; 3,557,483; 3,782,613; 4,375,731; 4,578,891; and Des. 200,474. None of such holders and devices, however, are suitable for the purposes described herein.
There has not heretofore been described a fishing rod holder adaptable for insertion into an existing opening (i.e., beverage holder opening) in a boat.